Surfing in your 40s, 50s and Beyond
It’s estimated that there are between 17 and 35 million surfers worldwide and 13 million of those do so on the shores of the US. Within that group, the surfer demographic covers all ages and stages, as we call it. If you’ve been in the lineup sometime in the past decade you may have noticed many more surfers in the over 40 and 50 age categories. It’s not uncommon to find many daily dawn patrollers around Southern California in their 60s and beyond.
So what’s the secret to surfing well into our Golden Years? While there is never a guarantee that everyone can and will be able to surf, here are a few tips to get you on the right track. Of course this is not a one size fits all approach, be sure to check with your health professional team and listen to your body.
Put your health first! Regardless of whether or not you surf, taking a proactive approach to your overall health is vital to staying active later in life. This is a lifelong commitment but it’s also never too late to make small changes to reach a greater goal. Not having a second helping, walking an extra 5 minutes, or taking three deep breaths are examples of small “bites” that you can take to make favorable changes in overall health & well being.
Stay hydrated! No matter your age, assuring you have the right fluid intake for your body helps your enzymes, cells, and internal organs function properly.
GIGO - this stands for Garbage In Garbage Out and you may have heard as, “you are what you eat”. This is true for your mind and body. If you consistently feed yourself positive, nurturing food/thoughts, you will be positive and nurturing. The same is true for whatever you ingest.
. Eat the elephant one bite at a time as Coach Sean says. By committing to small, positive changes you will reach bigger goals in no time. This goes for your health and surfing goals.
Of course, if you want to START surfing at age 50, that is not a problem. We see many in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond taking their first lesson and committing to adding the sport to their lives. It’s never too late to be stoked!